By Sophia Madeb, Arts and Culture Editor
Pulling back all my hair, aiming to reach every section, from the biggest chunks to the pestering ones that stick up in the back. With a brush in one hand and my hair twisted in the other, I strain to achieve the perfect slick-back bun. On average, this process of trying and failing to smooth over every inch of hair could take anywhere from a miraculous 10 minutes. Sometimes it becomes an ongoing nightmare lasting hours, with both arms now sore from being raised so long as I inspect the top of my head in the mirror, now completely oily from miscellaneous products, but finally locked perfectly in place.
Haven’t most of us as slick-back followers been in this type of situation? The popular hair trend, which involves aggressively pushing all of one’s hair back into a high ponytail, bun or even half-up, half-down look with a cocktail of hair products, has become iconic over the past five years.
It is arguably the defining hair trend of the 2020s. From masking a bad hair day or putting a professional gloss on a casual outfit, all the way to formal events such as engagement parties and weddings, slick-backs quickly became a versatile everyday look, worn to places like the gym, the workplace or school.
The hairstyle is born out of a larger trend that swept through culture earlier this decade, the “clean girl” aesthetic. Seamless, natural makeup looks became popular, along with simple yet effective clothing trends such as the “model off-duty” look. Naturally, hairstyles followed suit. A simple yet elegant “clean girl” hairstyle serves as the perfect pairing for denim jeans, a basic top, sunglasses, a long coat and a flat shoe.
The slick back trend started like most things do in this day and age: on social media platforms. Girls began showing off their hair routines, enthusiastically promoting an assortment of brushes and products to achieve the cleanest look possible. To do this, they would push back their hair so that every single strand sat perfectly, earning the style the title “slick back.”
Soon, the trend was popularized by celebrities, particularly Sofia Richie Grainge, daughter of singer Lionel Richie and wife to record executive Elliot Grainge. As her slick back hairstyle quickly went viral all over social media, everyone began attempting to recreate the same clean, sleek look. Tutorials began to flood all corners of the internet, each claiming to reveal the best way to achieve the perfect Sofia Richie-inspired slick back, whether it be a bun or a ponytail.
Debates soon emerged over the most “correct” way to achieve the perfect slick back. Some argue that gel and hairspray should be mixed and applied directly to the hair before it is brushed into place. Others insist that using various oils, not gels, is the key formula. Even then, opinions on which oils are most effective differ widely: some believe that high-end hair oil brands, such as Kerastase and Oribe, work best, whereas others strongly advocate for natural and organic oils such as rosemary, biotin and castor oil due to their thick consistency, a quality that works well for slick backs.
Organic oils are the closest match to Sofia Richie’s own hairstyling technique. In a tutorial she posted on TikTok in 2023, she explains that she finds it amusing that people find the look to be stylish, as she personally considers it one of her lazier hair routines. Like many others on TikTok, she uses a thick oil, but her true secret lies in using a hair mask after washing her hair to help achieve the slickest of slick-backs. She explains that this method allows the hair to grow more safely than using gel.
Despite her advice, many people continue to use gel for practical reasons. Unlike hair masks or oils that are typically applied to freshly washed or damp hair, gel is often used to control second or third day hair, post hair wash, making it appealing for those who want fresh looking hair without the frequent washing. In this way, the slick-back becomes tangled in its own irony, strategically relying on the very oiliness of the hair in order to appear clean.
Another debated factor is the tools used, meaning the type of brush and the number of hair ties needed to achieve the perfect ponytail or bun. Some believe a brush with flat, tightly packed bristles works best, as it simultaneously brushes and flattens the hair (this is even now commonly referred to as a slick-back brush). Others even suggest adding a little bit of gel onto the brush to achieve an even sleeker finish. Additionally, many online tutorials claim that using two hair ties is key for a slick-back bun, the first to create the ponytail and the other to secure the bun. Another method is double or even triple-tying the ponytail to create a tighter and more secure style.
On average, slick-back fanatics rely on the style at least once a week, if not every other day, because of its versatility for almost any event at any time of day or night. However, the wild popularity of the style and the frequency with which people rely on it brings up another question, beyond what makes the slick back look the best: what kind of impact does it have on hair health? Unfortunately, the answer is that the impact is not a positive one. Wearing a slick-back constantly adds extreme tension to the head and hair. In other words, as people aggressively put their hair up in these tight hairstyles with two to even three hair ties and a significant amount of product, this pulls on and clogs the follicles. An article that takes a more scientific look at the adverse health effects of slick-backs warns that the hairstyle can lead to a condition called traction alopecia, which is unsurprisingly caused by constant pulling on the hair. This can result in severe headaches, hair weakening and even hair loss, especially along the front hairline, where most of the tension is placed in these hairstyles. In this way, slick-backs can cause a noticeable recession in the hairline. Additionally, excessive use of harsh products such as gels can clog follicles, leading to buildup that may infect the scalp and prevent healthy hair from growing.
So, the next time you think of pulling your hair back into a trendy slick-back, pause to consider how often you resort to the style — because though it is undeniably chic and versatile, it can also be damaging. Consider minimizing the style to once or at most twice a week, and try to avoid harsh gels. Instead, try following Sofia Richie Grainge’s routine, using nourishing hair masks, natural oils and other products that support hair health, rather than creating unnecessary buildup that clogs the scalp. A sleek slick back can go a long way, but healthy hair will be in style forever.
Photo Credit: Unsplash